Reduction effect of co-firing of torrefied straw and bituminous coal on PM1 emission under both air and oxyfuel atmosphere

Abstract

Straw sample was torrefied at 260 °C and 300 °C in N2, respectively, to prepare torrefied straw named as T-260 and T-300, and the reduction effect of co-firing straw or torrefied straw and steam coal on PM1 is investigated. The combustion experiments were conducted in a high temperature drop tube furnace (DTF) at 1400 °C to collect the inorganic PM10 for further analysis. Combustion atmosphere was air for all cases and 50% O2/50% CO2 (OXY50) for coal, T-260 and their blends of 1:1 and 4:1. The results show that all three biomass fuels show obvious emission reduction of PM with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 0.3 µm (PM0.3) under both mix ratios. Reduction ratios of co-firing are overall higher at mix ratio of 1:1 than 4:1, and co-firing of T-260 or T-300 with coal shows higher reduction ratio than co-firing of straw. The higher ash content in torrefied straw leads to higher contents of alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEM), which will further react with both Si and S during co-firing and coagulate into particles of larger sizes, leading to higher reduction ratios of PM0.3 and unconspicuous reduction effects in PM0.3–1 emitted from co-firing. During co-firing in oxyfuel atmosphere, a higher combustion temperature compared to air leads to an intensitive gasification, may resulting in effective and even higher reduction ratio in PM0.3.